Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-02-06
Ter is 4.s seconds, and be is in the con-

URANUS III morning star. Dince IN
takes this planet seven years to traverse
constellation, he hardly seems to
change his place from year to year. He
is now slowly retrograding or moving
westward, and 30 near opposition as to
be visible to the naked eye among the
small stars Of Virgo.
The right ascension OF Uranus on the
LIST is IL hours AZ minutes; his declina.
ton is 4 degrees IA minutes south; his
diameter is 3.8 seconds, and he is in the
constellation Virgo.
Uranus rises on the lst at 10 o'clock
in the evening; on the 2Sth he rises a
few minutes after o'clock. - -----s
MARS is evening star. His commune
! ton with Venus on the 9th and with
Mercury on the 23d have already been
referred to. at the close of the month
Venus, Saturn, Neptune, Mercury, and
Mars are evening stars; Jupiter and
Uranus are morning stars.
The right ascension of Mars on the
LIST is ooh. 13m.; his declination is II
degrees minutes south; his diameter
is "A seconds, and he is in the constel-
lation Capricornus.
Mars sets on the 1st about half-past 6
o'clock in the evening; on the 18th he
sets a few minutes earlier
THE MOON.
The February moon fulls on the Sth
at 5h. 14m. A. NJ. On the I'd, Mt 2h.
Dim. A. NJ, the moon is in conjunction
with Neptune, being 3 degrees 80 mi
nutes south. On the 9Th, at lib. I'm. A.
NJ, she is in conjunction with Saturn,
being degrees % minutes south. On
the 18th, at 3h. 54m. p NJ, she is in
conjunction with Uranus, being 3 de-
grecs minutes north. On the 18th
our satellite is Mt the nearest approach
to Jupiter at Oh. 12m. A. NJ, being 3
degrees 43 minutes north. On the
23d, at Oh. Bonn. p. NJ, she is
in conjunction with Mars, being
degree 4 minutes south. On the Odd,
at 10h. Bonn. p. NJ, she is in conjunc-
ton with Mercury, being / degree 43
minutes south. This most beautiful
conjunction of the month will occur on
the oath at Oh. 2lm. p NJ. The two
days-old crescent will then be only
degree II minutes from Venus. The
heavenly bodies will not be visible at
the time of conjunction, but when it is
dark enough for them to make their APP
pearance in the sky the slender crescent
and the beautiful evening star north of it
will make charming picture in the
fading twilight
ECLIPSE OF THE MOON.
A partial eclipse of the moon occurs
on the 7th, which will he visible in New
England. 1t will also be visible in the
Pacific Ocean and in part of Asia. The
eclipse begins at 4h. 15m. A. NJ. The
middle of the eclipse occurs ut Oh. 23m.
A. NJ. The eclipse ends at Oh. 31m.
A. NJ, standard time. After period
of eighteen years and about eleven
days, known as the cycle of eclipses,
the same eclipses of the sun and
moon are reproduced in nearly the
same order as during that period. THIS
cycle was known to the ChaldHan as
tronomers. They called it the SaroS.
and used it in predicting eclpses. The
lunar eclipse of the 9TH, or one just like
it. was therefore seen by observers on
some part of the earth's surface on the
2eth of January, 1869. The magnitude
of the eclipse is O.436, the moons di-
ameter being |.
AySULAR ECLIPSE or THE SUN.
An annular eclipse of the sun will
occur on the odd. 1t will be invisible
in the United States. but visible i'll the
Southern Pacific Ocean and very
small portion of South America. The
only observers of the beautiful specta-
Gle will be those who are on board of
ships passing at the time in the path OF
the eclipse. The suns semi-diameter
at the time is 16 minutes 10 seconds.
The moons semi-diameter is Ii minutes
Al seconds. The width of the bright
ring of sunlight surrounding the dark
body of the moon is l minute 26 sec
onds. The annular eclipse of the pres
ent month repeats that of the 18th of
February, 1869.
1HE Sun.
The sun is making rapid progress
northward, and the lengthening days
bear satisfactory testimony to his near
er approach. The sun rises on the LIST
in Providence, in eastern standard
time. Mt Gh. 5Sm. A. NJ, and sets at
5h. I'm. 7. NJ, making the day slength
job. 3m. On the 2sth the sun rises at
6h. 22m. A. VI. and sets at Oh. 36m. p.
NJ, making the days length 11h.
lam. There is, therefore, an in
crease Of In. lin. during the
month. The increase in the morn
ing is 80 minutes, and in the eve
ming 80 minutes. The southern de
clination of the sun decreases with
equal rapidity. On the lst the suns
declination is II degrees . minutes
south; on the 2Sth it is 7 degrees So
minutes, showing that the suns pro-
press noIthward during the month
amounts to degrees 9 minutes. With
the days hours minutes longer, and
the sun - degrees 81 minutes farther
north than mt the time of the winter
SOlSllCt; w ihh.f bN tlh W diAli' phO' iiDi'
genial weather, though there will be fire.
quent departures from the general law
that regulates the progress of the sea-
son. The minimum of annual tempe
nature is reached in January or tebru
ary. At that time the difference be-
tween the quantity of heat We receiyc
from the sun and that which we lose by
radiation at night is the greatest. After
that time We receive more heat from
the sun than we lose by radiation al
night, and the temperature slowly in
creases. The backbone of winter il
broken. Such will soon be the happy
experience of the dwellers in the north
temperate zone.
FORTUNE RECOVERED.
How Destitute woman was Made
Rich After n Long Search.